Organizations actively pursue higher levels of employee engagement to
increase productivity, imbue positive energy within the corporate culture, and
enhance organizational reputation within the industry or the broader business
community.

Research presented in the Handbook of Employee Engagement, edited by
Simon Albrecht, suggests that effective employee engagement allows organizations
to leverage thought leadership, creativity and innovation to gain maximum
returns on investments in human capital.

Contributions by internationally recognized practitioners and consultants
provide structure and clarity about the otherwise amorphous concept of
engagement, helping readers to understand and apply key concepts, models,
interventions and measures to promote individual, team and organizational
success.

Distinctive features of the Handbook of Employee Engagement include
the overarching objective of presenting evidence-based perspectives relevant to
both the science and practice of employee engagement, and the presentation of
sections detailing the practical application of concepts and interventions in
many of its 34 chapters, each of which includes an extensive listing of
references to support reader engagement and exploration.

The book is a comprehensive volume of contemporary research, case studies and
conceptual pieces examining the “state of play” of employee
engagement on a global level. It is a highly readable and accessible, working
resource for management consultants and professionals.

Part 1 provides a foundational framework complete with definitions,
identification of key issues, and presentation of relevant theories, models and
measures.

The book provides critical insights into the theory and practice of employee
engagement, empirical research, case studies demonstrating issues, challenges
and opportunities inherent in contemporary application of employee engagement in
applied settings.

The book addresses the need for a single resource describing tested and
practical steps that can be used by consultants and human-resource managers to
improve employee engagement in various organizational settings and contexts.

The volume uses a balanced approach, integrating academic and applied
research, to present key theories, models and interventions fostering employee
engagement in a way that helps readers to understand, apply and evaluate these
concepts in the context of real-world settings. As a result, the book is well
suited for readers interested in the science and practice of employee
engagement, organizational behavior, group dynamics and organizational
psychology. Consultants in management and organizational behavior,
human-resource managers, researchers and students will find value in the
insights, state-of-the-art practical applications and areas for future research
identified in this comprehensive, informative resource.

The Handbook of Employee Engagement is recommended for anyone
seeking to improve organizational performance by harnessing the power and
positive energy inherent in increased levels of productivity, creativity and
innovation that can be achieved through employee engagement.

Reviewed by Judy Bullock, University of Phoenix, Phoenix, Arizona, USA.

A longer version of this review was originally published in
Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 32 No. 3, 2011.